


The white city

by Elesianne



Category: The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: Family, Father-Daughter Relationship, First Age, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Gondolin, Grief/Mourning, Loss of Parent(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-28
Updated: 2016-10-28
Packaged: 2018-08-27 09:48:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 430
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8396956
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Elesianne/pseuds/Elesianne
Summary: Idril and Turgon admire their new home and reminisce about the one who is not there with them.





	

The first morning they wake up in the city of Gondolin, Turgon with his daughter climbs to the highest chamber in the Tower of the King. Together they look at the city glittering white in the bright morning sunshine. Though there is still much to build, it is already so beautiful that it makes Idril feel like crying out of joy mixed with sorrow.

'I wish mother was here to see this.'

Her father squeezes her shoulder. 'So do I.'

'She would be so proud of you for dreaming up and building all of this. She would be so happy to be the queen of such a beautiful place.'

Turgon remembers how, when they married, Elenwë fell in love with Tirion, the city of the Noldor, and made it her home, though she had grown on the plains of Valinor among the Vanyar, her own peple. Elenwë was always able to make any place her home, and to make it feel like a home for others, too. And their daughter inherited that ability.

'She would love the city', continues Idril, 'but she would want to go on picnics in the valley very often, like she did in Aman. Do you remember, father?' Idril turns to him, and now there are tears in her eyes, and he gently brushes them away. Idril continues her imaginings, though her voice trembles a little.

'She would insist that you come on the picnics too, because she'd think you needed a break from your duties, and you would grumble and call it a distraction, but you would go and you would enjoy it. Just like you do with me when I tear you away from your work.'

'I don't grumble', protests Turgon with a smile, though tears are not far from his eyes either as they talk of Elenwë. He refuses to speak of her with anyone else, but from his daughter he cannot refuse anything that would give her joy or solace. Happily, she never asks him for anything he is truly loath to give.

That is what he thinks also when she tells him, many years later, that she has fallen in love with a mortal man. How like his happy daughter, who has never rebelled against him as his sister did, to fall in love with an _adan_ who has already been marked for a great fate by one of the Valar and earned Turgon's favour besides. So he gives them his blessing, and the city of Gondolin shines brighter than ever in the radiance of Idril's smile on her wedding day.

**Author's Note:**

> For some reason I keep writing about characters I don't even really like acting as affectionate fathers (next up: Curufin) - does anyone else find themselves doing something like that, showing the better side of a not-so-nice character?


End file.
